Don Raul's Orchard
By Florelisa Hernández
 The other day I went down into town and noticed Don Raúl´s place, it looked abandoned and dirty, an old car in the front door parked and covered.
Last year I used to see him every afternoon sitting outside his property, very still with his strong hands resting in his cane and his friends of many years keeping him company, he always waived at me and would ask me to join them, I did few times, and it was always pleasant listening to him, with his raspy voice and wise eyes.
The first time I met him was long time ago, when I first got here, back then he was the proud keeper of his orchard which is right by my house, a huge property in the slope of the hill where he grew many fruits and vegetables, he had many lemon trees, avocados, few types of banana trees, including the exotic "manzano" which is red in color and a flavor between apple and banana.
It was a pleasure to look at him, a tall and solid old man wearing a hat and work clothes, taking care of his trees and plants with the same tenderness that a mother shows to her infant.
The "Nopaleras" in his orchard were the prettiest I have ever seen, huge, green and juicy nopales that he would share with me. He used to leave a plastic bag with a sample of his orchard's treasures: many lemons, avocados and nopales, would wait for me at my doorstep. It was great coming back exhausted from work to be greeted by his kind gesture.
One day he stopped coming, as absent minded as I am I did not noticed it right away, it hit me only when I saw a FOR SALE sign on the orchard, I went down and saw him outside his property, with his cane and hat, very busy creating a mini-orchard in his small porch, I sat and talked to him for the rest of the evening.
He said he was tired, his body started to resent the hard work, arthritis was attacking his hands, and although he was sad of neglecting it there was nothing he could do since the property was not his anymore, pressured by his relatives, he gave the orchard to some of his descendants with fatal consequences for his very much loved trees.
He said he felt frustrated because he felt he failed, he felt he did not succeed transmitting to his descendants the love for the land. It was a sad evening and I went back home with many thoughts in my mind.
I know that the day will come; the day when his orchard is sold and a big construction maybe a house, maybe a condo, spotless grass and huge pool will take its place that is why I spend hours contemplating it. Right from the kitchen window I look at it, and while I cook or wash dishes my mind travels far contemplating the beautiful scene of a pile of huge rocks and the iguanas sunbathing in the middle of the threatened paradise.
I don't know where Don Raul is, and I won't ask, I like to think that he is away taking care of an orchard bigger than this, one that overlooks the ocean and that no "progress" will endanger, and I see him walking away proud and happy with his cane and hat and a plastic bag filled of his goodies.
Florelisa Hernández
info@villabella-lacruz.com
* Florelisa Hernandez is the manager of Villa Bella Bed and Breakfast Inn, "Villa Bella is a distinctive Hillside Inn overlooking Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre Mountains " rated second of the top five Mexican destinations by Tripadvisor. Villa Bella is located at Calle del Monte Calvario 12 La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. Nayarit México 63732. Ph 52-329-29-55161, Fx 52-329-29-55305. Website: www.villabella-lacruz.com , email: info@villabella-lacruz.com
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